Ben Erlandsonhttp://benerlandson.net
Design, Research, Creativity, Exploration. Digital. Startup. CEO. Photographer.Mon, 11 Sep 2017 01:26:23 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2Side Trip to Helsinki: Sea Fortresses and Jazz Composershttp://benerlandson.net/2017/09/side-trip-helsinki/
Sun, 03 Sep 2017 02:05:28 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=437During the entire month of August 2017, I traveled to Norway from the United States. Based on the fact that it is so easy to find cheap flights between European destinations, coupled with the relatively low cost of staying in hostels (not to mention the option of Couchsurfing for free), as well as the fact … Continue reading Side Trip to Helsinki: Sea Fortresses and Jazz Composers

During the entire month of August 2017, I traveled to Norway from the United States. Based on the fact that it is so easy to find cheap flights between European destinations, coupled with the relatively low cost of staying in hostels (not to mention the option of Couchsurfing for free), as well as the fact that I’d never been to Finland, I decided to take a side trip to Helsinki at the beginning of my travels.

Tuesday

I left the United States on the evening of July 31, connecting through Munich to Oslo on August 1, ultimately landing in Helsinki late that night. I was so tired that I didn’t realize I left my copy of The Snow Leopard (by Peter Matthiessen) in the seat back pocket on the plane until I got to the airport hotel. I was quite disappointed, as I was thoroughly enjoying the book, and had made several notes in the portion I had read so far. Matthiessen recounted an experience from the Himalayas that was strikingly similar to a recent stargazing experience I’d had while camping atop Mount Mitchell in North Carolina.

Erlandson Photography: Landscapes

Wednesday

I slept until 9:30 am the following morning. Clearly, I needed some sleep, and I was unsure if it was just travel fatigue, or if I was fighting some kind of cold. There was a coughing woman on the flight to Helsinki. I packed my gear and hopped on a train to downtown Helsinki, eager to get to the hostel and check in. It was a rather short walk from the train station to the market square where I could catch the ferry to Suomenlinna.

Walking routes from the Helsinki train station to Market Square

Perhaps still a bit jet lagged, I didn’t realize the boat I boarded was not actually the city ferry. Instead, this boat was essentially a water taxi providing service to many of the islands in close proximity to downtown Helsinki, including Suomenlinna and Vallisaari. So, by mistake, I figured out how to get to Vallisaari, which I had already intended to explore while here in town.

Arriving at Suomenlinna, I quickly checked into the hostel, ready to drop my gear and walk around. I spent most of the afternoon exploring the islands of the archipelago, including Pikku Mustasaari, which is home to the Finnish Naval Academy; Länsi-Mustasaari, a residential area, with beautiful views of the sea; Iso Mustasaari, one of the bigger islands, housing the church and several other major buildings, as well as the primary ferry stop; Susisaari, which includes an old submarine, lots of tunnels, Piper’s Park, a swim area, and a gunpowder magazine among other things of interest; and Kustaanmiekka, with lots of cannons and views, as well as King’s Gate. Since this was the end of the line, I turned around and made my way back along a different path. There are so many hidden corners to explore on these islands. Fascinating.

Satellite map of SuomenlinnaSatellite map – close up of Länsi-MustasaariErlandson Photography: Finland – SuomenlinnaSwim area on Susisaari

Throughout the day, I noticed a plethora of quiet residential areas on the islands, and it seemed as though there are tons of community garden plots, tucked away out of sight of most of the tourists. I got back to the deli cafe near the hostel just before it closed, able to enjoy the Ryebread and Coyet Ale from Suomenlinnan Panimo, which I believe is the brewery on the island.

Then I had a chance to visit the grocery store on the island, which happens to be right next to the hostel. I picked up some muesli and yogurt for breakfast, as well as some other treats, like digestives and cranberry juice. A brief period of rain, so I headed back to the hostel for a while to read some maps and label the day’s photos.

Thursday

After a decent sleep, I woke early to make breakfast in the hostel. Muesli, yogurt, and hot black tea.

Ready for a long day exploring Helsinki, I bought a multi-day ticket card for the ferry. I got the attention of a local woman, a person I assume is a resident of Suomenlinna, and she tried to help me figure out how to activate it on the card reader at the loading point. She then got the ferry operator to help me. The operator assumed I knew Finnish, and I had to sheepishly ask him to repeat himself in English after he gave me a funny look.

Arriving at the market square, I quickly walked over to check the location of the ferry to Tallinn to ensure timing for tomorrow — and to ensure that I could actually buy tickets onsite, and where exactly that transaction needed to happen.

The walk from Market Square to the Cruise/Ferry Terminal

I’m glad I went by, due to the fact that I saw a sign informing passengers when they should actually board the ferry for a given departure time. This was information I had not seen anywhere online, and I would likely have missed the ferry the following morning had I not been made aware.

Ready for more caffeine, I soon made my way back to the market square for the requisite “coffee and doughnut” at the recommended tent in Market Square. Before coming to Helsinki, even though I knew I would stay in the hostel, I contacted a bunch of different Couchsurfers in the area to get advice from locals about what to see and do. One Couchsurfer gave me specific instructions about a particular orange tent to seek out for the coffee and doughnut experience.

This turned out to be a much better recommendation than I could have possibly imagined.

The coffee was piping hot, so I sat down at a small cafe table next to the tent to eat the doughnut and let the coffee cool down enough to protect my taste buds. I had my Canon 7D strapped over my shoulder, ready to shoot the day. Soon, I heard a voice behind me, with what I believed to be a German accent, say “Nice machine…” I turned around, and two old men were looking at me, one pointing at my camera. “I like those Canons. That’s a nice machine you’ve got there.” The other man said, “My friend is a photographer.”

I greeted them cordially and took another bite of my doughnut. They couldn’t believe I’m not speaking Finnish or Swedish. I told them this happens all the time, and they laughed it off.

Soon the two men finished their conversation and the photographer left. The other man continued to engage me, asking me about my experiences so far. Knowing I’m from the US, he started talking about his own experiences there, and soon we realized that we both spent time in Boston. It turns out he’s a jazz composer, trained at Berklee School of Music in the late 1960s. He’s Heikki Sarmanto.

I told Heikki I wanted to know where to find good Finnish music, folk and jazz and such — since he must know. Heikki’s face lit up even brighter, and he said: “Ben. You must go to see Emu at Digelius Records. Tell him Heikki sent you, and he will help you find what you need.” He went on to tell me that I could walk there in a reasonable amount of time, or take the tram (which we could see from where we sat) and get there even more quickly.

I smiled and told Heikki that I would do just that. My intention was to meet one of the local Finnish folk I had already connected with to explore other neighborhoods of Helsinki on Saturday, and finding Digelius was now first on the agenda. On this day, however, my intention was to take in a museum or two, see some architecture, and then head over to Vallisaari before heading back to Suomenlinna for dinner.

Soon, I’d finished with my coffee. Before we parted ways, Heikki gave me his card, and I promised to keep in touch. He then said to me: “What is the most dangerous word in the world? More, more, more!”

Knowing there are several museums in that direction, I walked up toward Finlandia Hall. I decided to stop in at Kiasma, the museum of contemporary art, to check out the ARS17 Hello World exhibit. I didn’t have a chance to check out the companion web space until back in the US. At the time, my favorite installation was the crumpled flat screen televisions.

Erlandson Photography: FinlandErlandson Photography: Finland

Apparently, there were a few things I missed. I’m not sure how, since I think I explored every room.

Needing to get back outside and stretch my legs, I walked to Finlandia Hall, and then back to Helsinki Cathedral. Soon I found my way to Bryggeri Helsinki, a decent little micro brewery quite close to Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square. I had Tjugo Kellerbier on tap and a salad lunch with Pehtoori cheese from the Kolatun juustola cheesemakers.

Following a quick jaunt to check out Uspenski Cathedral, I catch the ferry to Vallisaari. I had come to understand that this island had only recently been opened to visitors, with work still being done to the trail system as well as the military history venues on the islands.

I hiked the entire island of Vallisaari. The Alexander Battery was the highlight.

Erlandson Photography: Finland — Alexander Battery View, Vallisaari

I then headed across to Kuninkaansaari, hiking its entire loop, finally back for a much-deserved beer at the Bar and Seadogs by the ocean. between the two islands.

Erlandson Photography: Finland — Kuninkaansaari

Ready to relax, I caught the next boat back to Suomenlinna for some rest at the hostel. Soon, I was eating a delicious dinner of lamb sausages on the terrace at the Suomenlinna brewery. The temperature finally started to drop around 9 pm.

Seeing some color beginning to form in the sky, I headed back to the hostel to grab my camera and then park myself on a bench by the ocean to see what I could capture of the sunset.

Before I knew it, I was watching two hot air balloons float by as the sun set over Helsinki.

Friday

Another night of decent sleep, waking to breakfast in the hostel. Muesli, yogurt, and hot black tea.

It was a rainy morning, and for some reason, I barely made the 9 am ferry to the mainland. I also remembered to take my first shot with Bennett’s Lego figure. (I had told my nephew Bennett that I would do this for him while I was traveling, and asked him to construct a lego figure to represent himself so that he could be part of my trip.)

Rainy window view of Helsinki harbor.

Luckily, catching this early ferry gave me plenty of time to get to the ferry terminal, purchase my ticket, and grab coffee and juice at the terminal cafe before boarding the boat to Tallinn.

It’s a long trip to Tallinn, well over two hours, nearly three. Essentially, there’s nowhere to sit on the boat, unless you buy food or drink and then sit in a restaurant. Another option is to book a cabin, but the relatively short trip renders this option pointless. Many people were sitting wherever they could, on their bags, leaning against walls and each other. There was too much wind to sit on the decks.

Early on, I took a few photos of nearby ships. Later, I went outside to do some more shooting. It was extremely windy, and at one point I had to turn around and brace myself for a strong gust. I almost lost my hat in the process. Luckily it caught on the railing and I was able to retrieve it before it dropped into the ocean.

As we arrived in Tallinn, the weather began to clear.

Erlandson Photography: Tallinn, Estonia

I think I walked all over Old Town Tallinn. It was FULL of tourists, but it seems as though it’s built for massive onslaughts of tourists. I managed to find a few nice quiet side streets and alleys, which allowed me to find some interesting graffiti.

I think I saw most of the churches, and I found it quite difficult to shoot them, such tall structures in such confined spaces. I did manage to find a few interesting angles.

Erlandson Photography: Tallinn, Estonia

Furthermore, I was forced to focus on various details of the architecture, which is always something I enjoy anyway.

Erlandson Photography: Tallinn, Estonia

And I happened to notice some cleaning or repair work in progress at one of the churches.

Erlandson Photography: Tallinn, Estonia

Before too much longer, I had to head back to the boat for the return to Helsinki. This boat had a totally different layout than the previous boat, so I took some time to familiarize myself, including a tour the upper decks and to get some shots before the rain returned.

Ready for a break after walking all over Old Tallinn, I ordered a beer and sat down to share a table with a couple strangers in the lounge. They ignored me. I was entertained by two emcees on the stage, and I came to the incorrect conclusion that there would be Finnish karaoke and a dancing competition. It turned out to be some kind of trivia game, which was still entertaining, but slightly disappointing.

After a short break, the house band Jerihon (apparently a Bulgarian rock band) came to the stage. The leader is quite charismatic and has a voice that commands the attention of everyone in the room. Upon finishing an impressive cover of Roy Orbison’s California Blue, he asked the audience: “Waltz or tango?” Based on the response to follow, more of the dancing crowd must have said tango than waltz. Without looking up, as he took a sip of his water, he said: “There’s a beautiful Finnish tango.”And I must say…

And I must say… Yes, there is a beautiful Finnish tango.

It should be noted that the Europeans seem to have a better grasp of acoustics than we do. The band’s music was loud and present, but not overbearing.

Eventually, I found myself back outside on the upper deck. It was nice to watch the sun sink toward the sea from a ship in the middle of the Gulf of Finland. I took a few more shots of passing ships and an island or two that were especially beautiful with the glare of the sun on the sea.

Back in Helsinki, returning to the market square, I was surprised to find what appeared to be an impromptu car show just getting started.

As I took the ferry back to Suomenlinna, I noticed some kind of American pop concert getting ramped up on a temporary stage next to the Ferris wheel.

Saturday

This hostel is pretty easy for sleeping. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising since it’s a dark room on a quiet island. At least it’s quiet until a roving band of Russian (?) revelers comes passing through at 4:45 am!

So, after a lazy morning, including the usual breakfast, I took a quick stroll around the islands to see some spots I’d not seen before, the school, some workshops, and a few other quiet residential areas.

I headed back to the market square for a late morning coffee and doughnut while waiting for my Finnish connection, who it turns out is running a bit late. So much for Finnish punctuality…

To kill time while waiting, I headed over to explore the area around Senate Square again. The call of nature hit me, so I found a cafe to get some more coffee and use the water closet. Across the street, I saw a store offering local crafts made by Finnish artists and artisans: MadeBy. There are certainly many interesting things in the store that I would have loved to take with me, but my traveling capacity wasn’t conducive to safely transporting these items home. After a few minutes, I struck up a conversation with one of the artists, Elina, who was taking her turn to man the store, which is basically a co-op. Elina designs wood and metal jewelry and interior goods in her studio Valona. We talked for quite some time about the nature of the cooperative store, as well as our own creative processes, and she gave me some pointers on camping culture in Finland, which I hope to put to use in the near future.

My Finnish connection finally met me, and we walked down to the neighborhood of the Digelius music shop. I had a great conversation with the owner Emu, who immediately knew who Heikki is, telling me that he comes by the store often since he lives in the neighborhood. Emu has known Heikki for quite some time, since he started Digelius (still in its original location, I believe) back around the time that Heikki was studying at Berklee and then moved back to Helsinki.

I spent some time listening to music with Emu, talking about jazz and folk music in Finland. He kept pulling out albums to play over the store’s sound system. The other folks in the store didn’t seem to mind one bit. I ended up picking up one of Heikki’s early recordings as well as a couple others.

Counterbalance, Heikki Sarmanto Quintet

I believe that’s Heikki, right there under the price tag. Heikki’s got his own website, and of course a Wikipedia entry (which tells me I’ve got a LOT more listening to do!). A portion of his discography (including Counterbalance) is also on Spotify (and likely other media channels), but I’m sure he’d prefer if you went out and bought his albums from an independent music store.

After a quick bite at a Georgian restaurant in the neighborhood, we headed to the Helsinki University Library to check out the architecture. Unfortunately, it was closed. Then we headed over to the Old Market Hall where I finally had a chance to sample reindeer meat. It is delicious.

We parted ways, and I spent some time exploring a boardwalk-type area near the Russian church, and then I went back to Bryggeri Helsinki to sample the IPA. Not anything I’d try again, but I’m glad I got a better sense of their offerings.

Back to Suomenlinna, I found that all my previous roommates at the hostel had vacated, and now there were several new folks from Japan, The Netherlands, and Korea. Two more showed up later in the evening from England and India. We went to the brewery on the island for beers and conversation on the terrace. What a great night it was! I wish this crowd had been around for more of my stay.

There was also a big party at the hostel that night, with the door propped open and the lock disabled. I’m not exactly sure what was going on, but from the looks of things, I believe one or more locals were involved, and they must have access to the master key. Many of the folks who came to dinner in the main room did not end up spending the night. My guess is that the locals sometimes use the hostel as a gathering space for large numbers of friends.

Sunday

It’s time to head back to Norway.

With decent sleep, I rose refreshed in the morning, ready to travel. I left the rest of my breakfast goods in the public food area, hoping someone would put the remainder of the kilo of muesli to good use. I made it onto the 8:40 ferry, heading for coffee downtown before heading to the train and airport. The market square was closed, and it turned out most of the cafes don’t open until 10 or 11 on Sundays, so I realized I’d have to settle for airport coffee.

The train ride to the airport was about as easy as it could possibly be. I had thought that I could use my transit pass to ride the train to the airport, but with a quick scan, the ticket agent told me that it was out of the zone covered by the fare I’d purchased. He then showed me exactly where and how to purchase the correct ticket at the kiosk, and I was on a train within ten minutes.

Waiting for my flight, the call of nature hit again (damn coffee!). At first, I thought there were birds living in the ceiling of the airport toilet. But, upon closer inspection, I realized it was just a birdsong soundtrack. (To be honest, it is actually kind of peaceful to shit with birds singing above your head, even if you know they’re fake.)

A friend of mine alerted me.to.your request for leads regarding US Citizens traveling abroad. I’m in Norway all month, traveling to various parts for vacation and photography work. I’m also currently in Helsinki for a fun side trip, including a day trip to Estonia today.

I’d be happy to chat if you think my perspective would be valuable to your story.

Thanks!

Ben

(“me.to.your”… damn you, numb thumbs!)

This was her response:

Hi Ben, thank you for getting in touch. Has your summer travel been affected in any way by what is going on politically in the U.S.? This might be reflected in your choice of travel destination and itinerary, or your experience abroad re. people’s response to U.S. political situation, etc.

If so, perhaps we could talk by phone…?

Many thanks,

Tara

And here is the response I typed at the airport gate, waiting to leave Helsinki:

Tara,
My travel hasn’t felt much different than when George W Bush was in office, other than a slight change in attitude about why it feels shameful to be a US Citizen. Bush was a buffoon puppet front for xenophobic goons hell-bent on killing all potential “terrorists” and any other humans in the way of these targets. Trump is a buffoon puppet front for xenophobic goons hell-bent on raping the natural environment for every last dollar into the pockets of themselves and their close buddies.

That being said, my itinerary choices were not affected by politics. My typical experience abroad is one where others (even US citizens) never assume I am from the US. I don’t look or act American, and I’m typically very quiet and observant. In European countries, 99% of the time all locals first engage with me in their native tongue.

Additionally, my experience observing most Western tourists (especially US citizens) in most places I’ve been abroad is usually that of dismay and embarrassment. Ignorance, laziness, selfishness, and rudeness abound in what usually amounts to hoards of loud, obnoxious, moronic assholes. This has been my experience across a variety of US Presidents and political climates since I was a teenager, through George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, and now Donald Trump.

I believe the global corporate political system, in cahoots with the military-industrial complex, is intended to be flexible across these relatively small swings of the pendulum from one side of a bi-partisan US system to the other. I’m still trying to figure out if the Trump presidency is an attempt to break the pendulum or just a rigorous test of its adaptive capacity.

In any case, we’re supposed to “look at the birdie.”

I’m happy to chat if you’d like this sort of broad perspective to enhance your story.

I believe I’m 6 hours ahead of US eastern time.

Let me know, thanks!
Ben

(Tara has yet to respond.)

As I boarded the plane, I got a stern but half-hearted lecture from the gate attendant about taking two bags onto the plane, especially since my backpack is “so big.” I told her I took both of these bags in their exact configuration on my previous Finnair flight from Oslo to Helsinki, and I offered to let her gate check my bag. I guess they don’t offer that option?

In any case, I’m on the plane with two bags — “OK, just don’t do it again next time.” “Yes, ma’am!”

I’ve made my way to the usual the aisle seat, and next thing I know, this tall, massive, blonde, bearded Viking fella points to the window seat in my row, the international cordial gesture to have me give some room to get through. I quickly obliged him.

We flew to Oslo. Somewhere along the way, we had a conversation. I said I recognized him from somewhere. He told me his name is Rune, and he’s acted in a few things. He’s Rune Temte.

Rune Temte

So far, his most recognizable roles are Ubba in BBC’s The Last Kingdom, the ski jumping coach in Eddie the Eagle, and Lars Ulvinaune in the television show Fortitude. Based on our relatively short conversation during the flight, I must say Rune seems like a fairly down-to-earth guy.

Finally arriving at the Oslo airport, I connect back to wifi to discover that my father wants me to track down a particular hiking map for him, the turkart (Norwegian for “hiking map”) #2563 detailing Peer Gynts Rike, which is the mountainous area surrounding my cousins’ cabin near Ringebu. Luckily, the nice clerk at the first airport bookstore I checked was able to call around to all the other stores in the airport to save me the trouble of having to walk around. No #2563 anywhere in the airport.

Peer Gynts Rike Turkart

When I get to the train station in the terminal, I discover the next two trains to Ringebu are sold out. First available leaves the airport at 18:59 (six hours wait). I bought the ticket and asked the nearby ticket clerk if there was any way to get on the earlier trains. He said to check with the conductor when each train arrived.

So, I did. While I was waiting for the 14:29 train, I was approached by a Norwegian who asked me if the train stopped at a certain station. Not only do the natives speak to me in their tongue, they clearly think I’m local enough to know the schedules and stops of all the trains.

Before I knew it, I was on the 14:29 train. A quick conversation with the conductor was all it took.

When I arrived in Ringebu, dad picked me up at the station. My cousins Rolf and Inger were waiting at their cabin after an afternoon hiking with Mom and Dad. Inger had prepared a delicious meal and we all had dinner together. They left after coffee, and then Dad and I went on a nice hike around Kvitfjell.

Introducing Elkin and #Elkin2050

What is #Elkin2050? It’s the name (and hashtag) I’ve chosen to identify a dynamic “urban core district” development plan (and planning process) for my hometown Elkin as we move closer to the year 2050. Why 2050? That’s when population scientists have projected we’ll hit nearly 10 billion people in the global population.1

Where is Elkin? Elkin is in North Carolina in the United States of America, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains – just below the escarpment.

Map of the United States of America highlighting the location of Elkin, North CarolinaMap of North Carolina highlighting the location of the Town of Elkin

Understanding The Urban Core District

Chatham Manufacturing was a textile company started in Elkin, North Carolina in the 1860s as Elkin Mills.2 Between Chatham and the Vaughan-Bassett furniture3 factory, I’ve identified several adjacent sections of property in Elkin that could be included in our local plan for an Urban Core District.

Conceptual Area Map of Elkin Urban Core District

The Urban Core District (UCD) concept is focused on human population density, with a relatively small population of humans living in a high density community: a few thousand people, perhaps more. Elkin’s UCD can exist within easy walking and bicycling distance of the current Historic Downtown Elkin district. The Elkin UCD is conceptualized as an ecologically sustainable, permaculture-focused, locally-oriented, mixed-use district. This UCD will be developed and maintained as one integral node in regional, national, and global transportation and communication networks, espousing an alternative non-corporate, local-first, sharing-based circular economy with a future-focused, dynamic appreciation of and flexibility for ever changing manifestations of industry.

Hopefully all UCDs in all areas of the world will be conceptualized in this fashion.

Potential Components of a UCD

UCDs are, of course, intended to be mixed use, with a variety of potential components, including high-rise residential structures, open natural recreation spaces, dynamic commercial areas and hackerspaces4 or makerspaces, local food access systems (new concepts of grocery shopping through subscription-driven CSA-style relationships with local farmers and foodmakers) — and a shared economy system that includes things such as tool banks and workspaces, collaborative and individual co-working spaces, bike shares, car shares, etc.

The Elkin UCD could be designed in way that connects into the existing Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART)5 system, as well as an expansion of local efforts to increase public transit systems, such as the transition of Bridge Street to a single lane of car traffic in each direction, adding large bike lanes each direction, and a set of dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT)6 or light rail lines up and down the middle. This transit connection could also run from Bridge Street down Hwy 268 to the eastern edge of the UCD. The PART-connected regional transit hub on this eastern area of the Elkin UCD could also serve as a pickup and dropoff for a dedicated airport shuttle service linking the Elkin UCD (and perhaps several other UCDs) to the Greensboro and Charlotte airports.

There’s no reason not to plan for connections from this regional transit hub to other light rail and commuter rail systems currently planned for other regions nearby, as well as Amtrak and any future high-speed (perhaps maglev7) train networks that should be built across the United States. And why stop there? Let’s plan for the possible construction of a Hyperloop8 network and commercial spaceports!

In fact, at the north end of Bridge Street, this BRT or light rail system could connect into a regional transit hub housed in another UCD — let’s call it the North Elkin UCD — at the site of the shopping center that was anchored by the original Wal-Mart built in Elkin.

Conceptual Area Map of North Elkin Urban Core DistrictMap showing current travel pathways between proposed Elkin and North Elkin Urban Core Districts

And, on the subject of transit and mobility, both the Elkin UCD and North Elkin UCD are within walking distance of the local trail system9 currently under development in the Elkin Valley. This trail system connects into the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail10 — and thus the Appalachian Trail11. This means residents and visitors in both of these UCDs could walk from the front door to Cape Hatteras or Clingman’s Dome and Springer Mountain in Georgia or Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Why Is #Elkin2050 Important?

Population

Knowing that the global population is projected to top out near 10 billion humans in 2050, let’s plan for the high likelihood that a substantial portion of these people are going to end up on this continent, whether we like it or not. Let’s plan on the premise that we should be ready to provide equitable access to food and shelter for this substantially increased population. There are several excellent resources and organizations focused on human population trends.121314

Ecology Trumps Economy

As we consider the future of global and local economies, however they may transform over time, we must always remember that these economies manifest within the boundaries and limitations of the ecosystem of this planet and its surrounding atmosphere. We are finite beings on a finite planet; we invented and perpetuate these economies in a finite manner.

As has been stated many times over, there are limits to growth.15161718

At least one organization is working toward economic prosperity19 without growth.20

Perhaps William Catton, in the parlance of his time, stated it best in his seminal work Overshoot21:

“Ecology is concerned with far more fundamental ideas than food fads, returnable bottles, or even the banning of aerosols. It is dangerous and unnecessary to remain preoccupied with the peripheral, the particular, or the superficial. The basic principles of this science are so important to man’s effort to comprehend what is happening to him and to his hopes that they need to be made a part of everyone’s common knowledge.” (p. 97)

Energy Transitions

Predictions of Peak Oil are quite varied22, but, we have statistical confidence that the tipping point will occur, regardless of when, and it will be relatively soon (i.e., before most people alive today are dead) — and many predictive models indicate that it has already occurred. Regardless, we need to stay ahead of the curve and realize that all extraction — not production, it’s never production, it’s always extraction — of any carbon-based energy source will come to an end sooner rather than later.

Actually: considering energy and economies, Vaclav Smil proposes that energy is the only true currency.23

The good news is, we’ve had the Transition Network24 growing for some time now, also known as the Transition Town movement. If, like Elkin, you’re currently located in the United States, we’ve got Transition United States on our side.25

Thanks to the work of Arjun Makhijani and the rest of the team at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, we have a roadmap for carbon-free and nuclear-free energy policy in the United States of America.26

Understanding Boundaries

As we continue to consider the future of small towns as networked within the context of regions, states, and nations, we must consider the nature of boundaries. Throughout recorded history, we’ve been drawing boundaries on maps and in our minds across the spectrum of arbitrariness.

If we take ourselves out of the equation of boundary formation, what are boundaries that exist beyond our control? One set of boundaries beyond our control are those created by the flow of water across the surface of the planet: watersheds.272829

Elkin lies within the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin3031, and we are lucky to have local and regional organizations3233 working diligently to protect the watersheds we inhabit.

Speaking of boundaries, perhaps the United States of America might actually benefit from dissolution; it could divide into smaller factions based on identified patterns of culture.3435

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Klaus Schwab,36 Founder of the World Economic Forum, has introduced us to the fourth industrial revolution, fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds.37 From the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in 2016:

“We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before. We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear: the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.”38

In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Schwab provides numerous lucid observations based on his understanding of trends evident in what seem to be enormous datasets available to the WEF, including these two following points I think are quite relevant an immediate #Elkin2050 perspective of industry:

“My sense is that successful organizations will increasingly shift from hierarchical structures to more networked and collaborative models. Motivation will be increasingly intrinsic, driven by the collaborative desire of employees and management for mastery, independence and meaning. This suggests that business will become increasingly organized around distributed teams, remote workers and dynamic collectives, with a continuous exchange of data and insights about the things or tasks being worked on.” (p. 60)

“…on the basis of raised awareness and shared narratives, we must embark on restructuring our economic, social and political systems to take full advantage of the opportunities presented. It is clear that our current decision-making systems and dominant models of wealth creation were designed and incrementally evolved throughout the first three industrial revolutions. These systems, however, are no longer equipped to deliver on the current, and more to the point, the future generational need in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. This will clearly require systemic innovation and not small-scale adjustments or reforms at the margin.” (p. 113)

Schwab concludes his text with an articulation of twenty-one deep shifts in industry expected to occur in the near future (previously published in PDF form).39 I’ll elaborate upon many of these shifts as relevant to #Elkin2050 in future posts.

For the convenience of folks that live in proximity to the Elkin Public Library, I’ve ordered an extra copy of Schwab’s Fourth Industrial Revolution book to donate to its collection, which means the book will also be (as of this post) a second copy available through the NC Cardinal interlibrary loan system40, for anyone else living anywhere in North Carolina. Please feel free to check it out.

Systems Wisdom

What is systems wisdom? It’s a set of principles to help us understand how we can behave collectively and individually in the face of uncertainty and complexity, especially when trying to solve problems.

Dana Meadows — who also was one of the authors of Limits to Growth — came up with the phrase, and her book Thinking In Systems41 is literally a primer on the subject. Meadows identifies several systems wisdoms that she collected over her years of working with systems models and conversing with other systems modelers. She summarizes these systems wisdoms:

“These are the take home lessons, the concepts and practices that penetrate the discipline of systems so deeply that one begins, however imperfectly, to practice them not just in one’s profession, but in all of life. They are the behavioral consequences of a worldview based on the ideas of feedback, nonlinearity, and systems responsible for their own behavior.” (p. 170)

There are fifteen systems wisdoms, which I will explore in detail in future articles. Two that I think are most important and prescient in the context of this current article are: making feedback policies for feedback systems expanding time horizons.

Make Feedback Policies for Feedback Systems

Feedback policies are designed as learning policies: policies which can adapt based on feedback exhibited by the system for which the policy was written.

When he was President of the United States, Jimmy Carter attempted to pass a gasoline tax proportional to the fraction of oil consumption based on imported oil. Essentially, this tax would rise as import percentage of consumption would rise, eventually leading to gas prices that would force alternatives and thus reduce the amount of oil imported from elsewhere. This is one example of a feedback policy for a feedback system.

Meadows explains this concept of feedback policies quite clearly:

“It’s easier, more effective, and usually much cheaper to design policies that change depending on the state of the system. Especially where there are great uncertainties, the best policies not only contain feedback loops, but meta-feedback loops — loops that alter, correct, and expand loops. These are policies that design learning into the management process.” (p. 177)

Expand Time Horizons

The further you expand your time horizon (both forward and backward across time), the more you increase your capacity for adaptivity. This helps us to consider the longer-term consequences of our actions.

Meadows uses an excellent metaphor to explain the importance (and complexity) of this systems wisdom:

“When you’re walking along a tricky, curving, unknown, surprising, obstacle strewn path, you’d be a fool to keep your head down and look just at the next step in front of you. You’d be equally a fool just to peer far ahead and never notice what’s immediately under your feet. You need to be watching both the short and the long term — the whole system.” (p. 183)

This is a key point to understanding the nature of expanding our time horizons: we should be paying close attention to both the short and the long term potential effects of our actions.

Design, Planning, and Resources

As we consider the #Elkin2050 issues we face from the standpoint of problem solving, we need to consider strategies for designing and planning those solutions. One set of strategies involves permaculture, sustainable urbanism, and human-centered design. Based on the ecological and boundaries arguments made above, we should definitely consider the importance of permaculture and sustainable urbanism as we plan for the future, with or without including UCDs in the solution.

Permaculture

What is permaculture?

“Permaculture is a system of agricultural and social design principles centered on simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems.” 42

David Holmgren, one of the two originators of the permaculture concept, has published the definitive textbook on the subject.43 As an alternative, Permaculture Principles is a good place to start before you dive into the book. 44 There are also several free online permaculture resources at the Permaculture Institute.45

Sustainable Urbanism

Sustainable urbanism, is basically, the application of sustainability to development and maintenance of cities — or in this case, UCDs. The defining elements of sustainable urbanism are: compactness (density), biophilia, sustainable corridors, high performance buildings, and high performance infrastructure.46 Douglas Farr has written what is considered by many to be the definitive text on the subject.47 UN-HABITAT provides a three-volume guidebook series on Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Development Planning, available to download for free in PDF format.48

Human-Centered Design (IDEO)

It would be wise for us to take a human-centered design approach to be inclusive to what needs current and future residents of Elkin, the potential UCDs (and networked locations) may have. By defining the target audience in terms of inclusion and diversity, we can then invite them to the planning table in a transparent fashion that should be quite motivating. Essentially, we can use the design process as one mechanism to motivate young people (with and without families already) to move to Elkin and literally help shape the future of this region.

IDEO’s Design Kit offers a variety of free resources for those interested in learning how to do human-centered design, as well as an online course in partnership with Acumen. 49

We can conduct this collaborative, inclusive design process in a way that embraces the ideals of population, ecology, energy, boundaries, industry, and systems wisdom. We can design for innovation.

Innovation: Subverting The Dominant Paradigm Of Inhibitive Traditions

Paradigm

What is a paradigm? Essentially, a paradigm is a deeply entrenched thought pattern. A paradigm is a worldview:50

“Another use of the word paradigm is in the sense of ‘worldview’. For example, in social science, the term is used to describe the set of experiences, beliefs and values that affect the way an individual perceives reality and responds to that perception. Social scientists have adopted the Kuhnian phrase ‘paradigm shift’ to denote a change in how a given society goes about organizing and understanding reality. A ‘dominant paradigm’ refers to the values, or system of thought, in a society that are most standard and widely held at a given time. Dominant paradigms are shaped both by the community’s cultural background and by the context of the historical moment.”

In Thinking in Systems, Meadows discusses paradigms as leverage points in systems:

“Paradigms are the sources of systems. From them, from shared social agreements about the nature of reality, come systems goals and information flows, feedbacks, stocks, flows, and everything else about systems….So how do you change paradigms?…You keep pointing at the anomalies and failures in the old paradigm. You keep speaking and acting, loudly and with assurance, from the new one. You insert people with the new paradigm in places of public visibility and power. You don’t waste time with reactionaries; rather, you work with active change agents and with the vast middle ground of people who are open-minded.” (pp. 163-164)

Tradition

Another way to conceptualize paradigms is as tradition.

Tradition can be good, and tradition can be bad. For example, traditions associated with seasonal preparations for planting, growing, harvesting, storing, and consuming local foods are good. Traditions associated with and promoting atrocities such as war, bigotry, misogyny, anthropocentrism, and pollution are bad.

1. a : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)1. b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable

2. the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction

Moving Forward

Based on established paradigms and traditions here and elsewhere, one of the biggest challenges to progress we face is inertia. Overcoming inertia means we get the ball rolling, and an even bigger challenge we have to take into consideration is that, once we get the ball rolling, we need to manage (as best as we can) the potential paths the ball may take, since we can’t really control it. That’s why designing with expanded time horizons in mind is so important.

We can entice young people and families from across the United States (and, frankly, across the world) to move here and work together to invest time, money, energy in this new blank slate we’re establishing in post-industrial #Elkin2050.

We can build new traditions — especially along the lines of cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions — based on the foundations I’ve outlined above.

We can serve as a model for all other post-industrial small towns in the United States of America.

What Comes Next?

For many of the elements I’ve initially described above — along with many more ideas that come up as the discussion continues — I’ll write follow-up articles that present data and real potential scenarios. I welcome others to join me in writing these articles as well.

Additionally, here are some exemplar questions to fuel some of these follow-up articles, as well as the discussions I hope we can start and maintain as we move toward #Elkin2050:

What is the capacity of the separate sewer system licensed for the Chatham campus?

What is the total acreage of the combined properties in each of the two proposed UCDs?

What is the square footage and infrastructure capacity for buildings that will be salvageable on these campuses?

Geographically, how far out should we collaborate with others on planning for this local area?

Let’s focus on regional networks for connectivity amongst these two and other potential UCD nodes.

Let’s start and continue the discussion in a transparent and positive fashion. Please comment on this post, and elsewhere on social media using the #Elkin2050 hashtag.

]]>http://benerlandson.net/2017/02/elkin2050-urban-core-districts/feed/2The Future of Elkin North Carolina – Empty Stores Downtownhttp://benerlandson.net/2017/02/future-of-elkin-empty-stores-downtown/
Thu, 02 Feb 2017 04:34:24 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=363Like many small towns in the United States of America, my hometown, Elkin, North Carolina, is facing many problems in the post-industrial experience of the twenty-first century. There don’t seem to be many good options for what this and so many other towns can or should become, now that singular industries employing thousands of people, … Continue reading The Future of Elkin North Carolina – Empty Stores Downtown

Like many small towns in the United States of America, my hometown, Elkin, North Carolina, is facing many problems in the post-industrial experience of the twenty-first century. There don’t seem to be many good options for what this and so many other towns can or should become, now that singular industries employing thousands of people, as did Chatham Manufacturing12 during its heyday, are no longer a viable option for small towns in the United States.

Empty Stores

In recent months, there has been a substantial increase in empty stores on Main Street in Historic Downtown Elkin. There are enough empty stores now that people have begun to take notice and discuss this issue in continued passing conversation on a regular basis. Recently, a meeting was convened to discuss the economic future of Downtown Elkin, specifically as a result of this recent increase in empty stores.

I’m a commercial property owner in Downtown Elkin (205 S. Bridge St), along with two partners. We were not included in this meeting, and I have heard (since becoming aware of this meeting after the fact) that other business and property owners in Downtown Elkin were similarly overlooked regarding this meeting.

Regardless, I continue to be proactive moving forward.

On February 1, 2017, I walked up and down Main Street to gather evidence about the current condition of these spaces.

Below are the empty (or soon to be empty) spaces, as well as those that are clearly listed for sale or rent, even though currently occupied at the time of my walk.

214 East Main St

214 East Main St, Elkin – home of the Elkin Tribune newspaper

This has been the home of the Elkin Tribune for as long as I can remember. I can’t confirm what the future of the local newspaper is, but the fact that the building is for sale seems troubling.

206 East Main St

206 East Main St, Elkin

I’ve spoken with the owners of this building in the past week, and the current occupant, shown going out of business, is indeed leaving the location soon. My current understanding, based on conversation with the owner, is that there is not another business lined up to take over the space.

200 East Main St

200 East Main St, Elkin

This building has been sitting empty for quite some time. The paper in the windows makes it difficult to tell if any progress is being made with renovations or occupancy by a new business or businesses.

122 East Main St

122 East Main St, Elkin

This building is owned by the same people that own 206 East Main St. The Wanderlust Studio is a recent addition, the first tenant following an extensive and costly renovation conducted by the owners. The basement, 122 B, is available for rent. I’ve toured the space with the owners, and it has a certain speakeasy vibe that would be a great space to open a jazz bar or taco shop.

The tile work on the front of the building is a tangible testament to the amount of time, energy, and dollars the owners have invested in the space, with a sense of aesthetic and sophistication that should serve as a model for the rest of Downtown Elkin. Having lived for six years in Asheville, North Carolina, I can personally attest to the fact that this façade emanates the same sort of progressive Asheville vibe.

118 East Main St

118 East Main St, Elkin

This space is for rent.

I don’t know much about its soon-to-be former occupants, or the owners of the building. Apparently, they still want to send Hillary Clinton to prison, though.

112 East Main St

112 East Main St, Elkin

The man who ran this rather expansive, yet seldom busy, shoe and boot repair shop recently died. There is no telling what future plan for this space is.

105 West Main St

105 West Main St, Elkin

This building has been on the market for nearly a year, at least, and it now appears that something is happening, as the signs have been removed, and there is visible evidence of cleaning activity happening inside. There are apartments on the upper level, currently occupied.

107 & 109 West Main St

107 and 109 West Main St, Elkin

107 West Main was recently an antiques shop. We’ve had an overwhelming number of antique shops (or junk stores, depending on the eye of the beholder) downtown in recent years.

109 West Main has been a jewelry store since at least as far back as when I left Elkin for college in 1997.

111 & 113 West Main St

111 and 113 West Main St, Elkin

As you an see in the photo above, Plums is holding its 21st Annual Closing Sale at 111 West Main St. Plums is closing, and there is no word yet concerning any future tenant, or what the building owner may do next.

At 113 West Main, El Matador was open for a relatively brief period of time as a clothing store. It has been closed for several months at this point, perhaps even a year.

115 West Main St

115 West Main St, Elkin – The “Rock Façade”

Back in the autumn of 2015, there was quite a stir around this façade and empty lot. The Elkin Town Commissioners sought to demolish the property, and several community members, in concert with the Main Street Advisory Board, sought to preserve and protect the space for future public development.3 However, not much progress has been made, as evidenced in the photo above, nor has much been published about any obstacles or progress since, as evidenced by the fact that, as of this writing, an affinity page on Facebook has not been updated since 2015.4

122, 120, & 118 West Main St

122, 120, & 118 West Main St, Elkin

These three stores have been empty for some time. 118 West Main was recently a baseball memorabilia shop, among other various “collectibles” and sundry things. Based on current signage, it’s not clear if all three units are for rent, or just 120 West Main.

There’s no telling what condition the upper level is in. The louvered windows seem salvageable, though.

113 & 115 East Main St

113 and 115 East Main St, Elkin

The Thomas Kinkade Gallery at 113 East Main St has been shuttered for years. No sign of change anytime soon.

115 East Main is clearly for lease, as shown in the photo above.

207 East Main St

207 East Main St, Elkin

207 B East Main St is currently empty, and there is no sign in the window to indicate status or future plans.

Many thanks to my business partner and friend John Wiles for compiling these data today.

Problem Definition + Solution Mapping

Based on these data, we can clearly define this problem in financial terms, allowing us to collectively and publicly discuss solution options in a clear, pragmatic fashion.

If we allow for a 1.5x factor in purchasing costs, as well as an average of $250,000 per property in renovation costs, the total financial cost of purchasing and renovating these properties is $4,063,675.

For each of these empty spaces, we have two viable options in the near term: 1) secure tenant businesses in lease agreements, or 2) find investors to purchase and renovate the buildings – for their own businesses or to lease to business tenants.

In either case, we currently have 18 spaces that need attention. Regardless of which tenants/owners come to occupy these spaces, the real question is: What are the types of businesses that Elkin needs to bring downtown? This question emphasizes the importance of contextualizing the pragmatics of the identified problem in a way that lends itself to a viable, sustainable, resilient future for the Town of Elkin in this post-industrial society.

A few points to ponder, regarding contextualization of this post-industrialism and our increased understanding and awareness of the finite resources within this planet, our home: Localism6, Transition Towns78, and Permaculture Cities9.

Note: If you’re interested, I’ve got copies of The Transition Handbook and Permaculture Cities on hand. Each of these books can easily be read in a weekend, and both are readily available and affordable via the usual online stores. You can also special order them from your local bookstore, if you’ve got one in your town. And, if you’re local to Elkin, I’ll happily lend you my copies to read. Let me know.

Establishing A Plan

Based on this contextualization, we need to collectively establish a flexible longitudinal (10-, 20-, 30-, 50-year) growth plan for the future of Elkin – a plan that is designed to be dynamic and adjustable based on frequent analysis and consensus. Such a plan would follow the tenets of systems wisdom established by Donella Meadows10, such as establishing feedback policies for feedback systems.

Demolition of Chatham Manufacturing textile factory in Elkin, North Carolina

We’re watching Chatham Manufacturing Company, the past industrial vitality of Elkin — the very reason that Elkin managed to subsist and flourish as a town into and beyond the 1900s — be demolished. The citizens of this community have mixed feelings about this process. I see it as an opportunity; a dangerous opportunity to which we must pay constant attention.

In my next post on this topic, I’ll explore one potential manifestation of this opportunity.

As a teaser: Consider a vertically oriented, pedestrian first, Urban Core District within a stone’s throw of Historic Downtown Elkin. A sustainable, permaculture-founded, locally-oriented mixed-use district entrenched in regional, national, and global transportation and communication networks, espousing an alternative non-corporate local sharing-driven economy.

We can entice young families from across the United States (and, frankly, across the world) to move here and work together to invest time, money, energy in this new blank slate we’re establishing in post-industrial Elkin.

We can serve as a model for all other post-industrial small towns in the United States.

What Am I Doing Today, Moving Forward?

In the meantime, I’m taking action in many ways, including the following three things.

205 South Bridge St

205 South Bridge St, Elkin – A work in progress

With aforementioned partners, in early 2015, I purchased the southern entrance to Elkin. We’re renovating and revitalizing the space into a local-first, progressive, environmentally focused, socially equitable secular hub for the future of progress in our town.

We also want all the entrances to our town to exude aesthetic sophistication and ecological resilience, and we hope to serve as a model.

This Too Shall Pass

Last November I hosted the first “This Too Shall Pass” community gathering at 205 South Bridge St. It was not well advertised, and thus garnered a relatively small crowd, but it was a powerful small crowd. We’re continuing the effort this year, with several events to celebrate the intersection of so many communities: river paddlers, trail hikers, home brewers, artisans and makers, local organic farmers, and musicians.

In addition to traditional printed flyers, I’m using Eventbrite and various social media platforms to manage and market the “This Too Shall Pass” gatherings for 2017 and beyond, seeking to embody the principle of ambient findability11 as a digital model for other businesses and organizations in Elkin to entice the Millennial (and younger) populations to seek out and share genuine experiences in our region.

Knedia

In January 2017, I launched a global digital media platform startup, hoping to prove that companies with massive revenues (potentially in the hundreds of millions within less than five years) can once again be launched in small towns — this time in a nearly-infinitely scalable fashion.

Knedia is an experiential, data-driven, knowledge-focused digital platform for the production, consumption, and discussion of media across modalities. Here’s an introductory video (produced locally in Elkin):

]]>Life Work Balance – Foggy Hike On Stone Mountainhttp://benerlandson.net/2017/01/life-work-balance-foggy-hike/
Sat, 14 Jan 2017 22:02:01 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=345This afternoon, I had a chance to take a break and enjoy a fast-paced solo hike on one of my favorite loops through Stone Mountain State Park. I’m making an effort to increase and maintain a focus on life work balance, especially since I continue to find that launching a tech startup has the potential … Continue reading Life Work Balance – Foggy Hike On Stone Mountain

This afternoon, I had a chance to take a break and enjoy a fast-paced solo hike on one of my favorite loops through Stone Mountain State Park. I’m making an effort to increase and maintain a focus on life work balance, especially since I continue to find that launching a tech startup has the potential to be all-consuming of my ever increasing waking hours.

This loop is a hike I’ve been doing since I was a kid, and many aspects of the trail have changed a bit over the three – almost four – decades, including the installation of several long sets of staircases. These staircases help people stay on the trail on some of the steeper sections of Stone Mountain, which can be pretty difficult to ascend due to the slick granite of the monadnock.

These staircases also help me get into a rhythm. Often I’ll clear my head by counting the steps. Often I’ll get some sort of parade march tune in my head as I syncopate my hike. When I reach the top of the last set of stairs and crest the massive rock to see the view, regardless of the weather, I’m always impressed to the point that my mind clears completely, even if for just a few precious moments.

A foggy view from the summit of Stone Mountain in North Carolina.

Then, the sweat really starts pouring from my pores.

Standing atop the summit of Stone Mountain in North Carolina.

Soon, I’m on my way down the ridge, a nice cool-down descent (with no more staircases) on the return to the car. My mind clicks back into gear and I consider again the concept of life work balance, and how much effort I need to put into maintaining such a balance as I focus so intently on my new company, Knedia.

I think about how I spent so much time on my bicycle as an amateur road racer in Arizona, training 20-plus hours a week in the saddle while also in the throes of designing and developing several virtual learning environments, conducting research experiments, publishing journal articles, and writing my dissertation. I often think that I wouldn’t have been able to finish my dissertation if I hadn’t been able to write and review most of it in my head as I spent 2-3 hours of time in the saddle on those early mornings in and around Tempe, Phoenix, and Scottsdale.

I’m happy to be able to get outside on familiar paths (paths I could almost walk blindfolded), allowing my mind to wander and focus on the endless number of tasks that must be done to prepare for the funding, development, and success of a tech startup, and how to do it without destroying myself. I once told one of my dissertation advisors that getting a PhD would do me and everyone else no good if I ended up dead or crazy in the process. I’ve got to keep the same thing in mind as I embark on this latest endeavor with Knedia.

To be completely honest, I’ve got to get myself into much better shape (and I’ve got a more detailed post on this topic in the works – stay tuned!). Being my own boss, I hope to maintain a schedule that, while chaotic and filled to the brim, will be flexible enough to ensure this can happen.

Finally, to add just a bit more creativity to my life work balance (beyond my continued increase in photography excursions), I’ve been asked to join Foothills Theatre, our local community theater group, to play a bit part in Dearly Beloved, the winter dinner theater show to be held in three performances at the end of February. As Wiley, the inept fiancée of a rather desperately betrothed woman, I don’t have many lines, and most of them are tangential and incoherent, thanks to the agreed upon culprit of “too much cough syrup”…

]]>Shooting the Storm – Winter Photographyhttp://benerlandson.net/2017/01/shooting-the-storm-winter-photography/
http://benerlandson.net/2017/01/shooting-the-storm-winter-photography/#respondSun, 08 Jan 2017 01:17:09 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=319I love shooting winter mountain landscapes after a relatively heavy snowfall here in North Carolina. As the winter storm started on Friday night, I was happy to go to sleep knowing there’d be ample snow for a day of hiking and photography. Sleeping in Saturday morning, my first excursion was a quick walk down to the small … Continue reading Shooting the Storm – Winter Photography

I love shooting winter mountain landscapes after a relatively heavy snowfall here in North Carolina. As the winter storm started on Friday night, I was happy to go to sleep knowing there’d be ample snow for a day of hiking and photography.

Sleeping in Saturday morning, my first excursion was a quick walk down to the small lake at the bottom of the hill. As anticipated, the lake was mostly frozen, and there was a brief reprieve in the continued snowfall and somewhat stiff breeze. I spent some time with my 7D on the tripod in the stillness, and then managed to snap a few decent phone shots as well.

As I headed for the dock, the snow picked up again…

It was getting colder by the minute, and the snow was not letting up, so I shot a quick video of myself on the dock, announcing my anticipation of the post-snowfall photography to come.

Soon, my dad and I had packed up the truck to head over to the Blue Ridge Parkway, knowing the section just south of us would be closed. For about half of the drive, we were following others’ tracks, and then we approached a rather deep snow drift and had to make fresh tracks. Luckily, we were able to stay above most of the snow, and within a short time we were up to the barricade at Mahogany Rock Road without any trouble.

Dad strapped on his cross country skis, and I grabbed my 7D and tripod out of the cab. The snow had stopped, the clouds were breaking up, and the sun was shining warm on our faces, despite the temperatures in the teens with even colder wind chills.

We made first tracks up the Blue Ridge Parkway, heading toward Air Bellows Gap. My intention was to get to the overlook just north of there where you can get one of the best views of Stone Mountain. My hope was to get one or two decent shots with Stone Mountain covered in and surrounded by snow and ice, assuming the sunlight would cooperate.

With so many excellent views from the Parkway, it’s easy to get distracted, especially on those rare occasions when one can walk down the middle of the road without worry. I snapped several photos with my phone along the way, especially when I could get shots impossible with my 7D, mainly because I put my phone in small spaces where my camera won’t fit, like behind an icicle.

Soon enough, we were at the intended destination, and as we should have expected, there were high drifts and bare icy spots on the road, based on the steady gusts of wind that come through the gap. My dad took a break from the skiing and did a little phone photography himself, including this surprise shot of me he shared with me later.

Ben Erlandson photographing Stone Mountain in the blustering snow on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

As you can see, while waiting for the gusts to subside so my camera would stabilize, I took the opportunity to snap a few more shots with my phone. Thanks to a little production work in Snapseed, I was able to create what I think is one of the best photographs I’ve ever taken with a smartphone.

I have been using Snapseed for quite some time, and I find it to be the best option for Android photography processing, especially the filmic aspects, and what I think are some of the industry leading black and white filters. I’d be interested to hear other photographers’ opinions on the tool.

In the end, it was a good day in the snow. After getting back to the house, I had some lunch and went back out to do some more photography with my 7D in the woods and meadows within walking distance of the house — including a few more shots down at the lake.

It will take me a few days to process through all the images, but stay tuned to Erlandson Photography at my website (or on Facebook or Twitter) in order to find out when they’re ready to view.

]]>http://benerlandson.net/2017/01/shooting-the-storm-winter-photography/feed/0Starting Up 2017 – Digital Technology Startuphttp://benerlandson.net/2017/01/digital-technology-startup/
Fri, 06 Jan 2017 17:11:27 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=304As 2016 came to a close, I stepped away from my previous role as CTO of McKinsey Social Initiative, and now it’s time to move forward as one of the founders of Knedia, a digital media technology startup based in my home state of North Carolina. Knedia is an idea that has been percolating for a … Continue reading Starting Up 2017 – Digital Technology Startup

As 2016 came to a close, I stepped away from my previous role as CTO of McKinsey Social Initiative, and now it’s time to move forward as one of the founders of Knedia, a digital media technology startup based in my home state of North Carolina.

Knedia is an idea that has been percolating for a couple years, based on some conversations between myself and my co-founder, John Wiles. It’s one of those ideas that goes back and forth between the front and back of your mind, and you never really stop thinking about it. I firmly believe that the best ideas are the ones you can’t forget.

One day, you realize it’s time to make the idea a reality, and several other things fall into place to convince you that the time is now.

While we’ve got enormous plans for Knedia as a platform for the production, consumption, and discussion of news media, we know there are three big challenges we want to tackle first, helping us to shape the initial form of the Knedia experience:

Fake News

Echo Chambers

Talking Past Each Other

We’ve got several elements fused into the design of the Knedia platform to help us support users’ experiences in pursuit of knowledge-driven solutions for these three big challenges.

Right now, we’re in the process of ramping up the company, building the platform, and preparing for funding conversations. Earlier this week, we also shot a bunch of interview footage with a local production company to help us generate a video spot to explain the essence of Knedia – so, stay tuned to find out when it’s posted!

We’re practicing human-centered, participatory design for the entire Knedia system, especially its mobile and web apps. If you’re interested in providing your input on what it’s like to produce, consume, and discuss the news in the 21st century, we’d love to hear from you – use the signup link above, or follow Knedia on Twitter: @KnediaTweets.

]]>Preparing for Launch: Winter South 02014http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/preparing-for-launch-winter-south-02014/
http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/preparing-for-launch-winter-south-02014/#respondWed, 15 Jul 2015 02:47:50 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=289My book Winter South 02014 was published in March, and apparently an email from the marketing team slipped through the cracks, so we are just now getting around to forming a press release to launch my book into the stratosphere. I took some time to fill out a formulaic series of “interview” questions for the … Continue reading Preparing for Launch: Winter South 02014

My book Winter South 02014 was published in March, and apparently an email from the marketing team slipped through the cracks, so we are just now getting around to forming a press release to launch my book into the stratosphere.

I took some time to fill out a formulaic series of “interview” questions for the Lulu marketing team (their “Press Release Questionnaire”), and as I continued down the list, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the questions felt quite absurd. As such, I’ve decided to publish the questions — and my actual answers — here on my blog. Just for fun.

Lulu: What inspired you to write this book?

Me: I was planning a move from California back to my hometown in North Carolina, and I’ve always been a deep thinker and a writer, so I thought I’d try my hand at travel writing. Honestly, it was kind of a “fuck it, why not” moment. Then, I decided to turn it into a Kickstarter campaign to pay for some bells and whistles at Lulu, and it kinda snowballed a bit. I felt obligated to finish the project once the campaign got funded.

Lulu: Summarize your book in one to three sentences as if you were speaking to someone unfamiliar with your book and its topic.

Me: I decided to take a month to drive relatively slowly across the southern part of the USA, camping, couchsurfing, shooting photographs, and taking notes about my observations and experiences as I went. I pondered our place in this world as a species, as well as our relationship with the technologies we’ve created. I met a lot of new people and spent a lot of time by myself.

Lulu: What is the overall theme (central topic, subject or concept) of your book?

Me: Mankind, the natural world, technology, experience, and design.

Lulu: Where does this book take place?

Me: From California to North Carolina, across the southern portion of the United States of America.

Lulu: Who are the main characters and why are they important to the story?

Me: I am the main character, I guess. My conscience?

Lulu: Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers?

Me: My experiences and perspectives are atypical and thus intriguing.

Lulu: How is your book relevant in today’s society?

Me: It’s a real story with a long view perspective that more individuals of our species need to adopt. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine.

Lulu: Is there any subject currently trending in the news that relates to your book?

Me: I don’t watch the news, so I couldn’t tell you one way or the other. My book is the opposite of the 24-hour news cycle, I guess.

Lulu: What makes your book different from other books like it?

Me: I’m not sure which books are like mine. I guess of those that are (of which I’m not aware), one major difference is that I wrote my book, as opposed to someone else. Another interesting fact: I wrote the entire book in Google Drive, up until the point I had to convert it to a Word Doc for Lulu. I’d really appreciate it if you’d read my book and form your own opinion about why my book is different (better) than other books like it. I think you’d write a better press release.

Lulu: What do you want readers to take away from your writing?

Me: I want them to want to call me up and have an intelligent conversation. I want them to rekindle a fire for learning and discovery that makes them feel alive every goddamned day. I want them to write their own book about their own experiences and observations and reflections, published or not.

Lulu: How did you learn about the topic? (i.e. personal experience, education, etc.)

Me: To get a little philosophical here, I’m constantly learning about every topic I can possibly comprehend, right? Pragmatically speaking, I’ve been alive and aware on this planet for thirty-five years and counting (not counting the nine months in utero?). If I’m not learning, I’m not living. I also got an amazing humanities-based liberal arts undergraduate education at UNC-Asheville. It’s the best thing that has happened to me so far in this life, as best I can tell. Well, maybe that, and the fact that I really learned how to write at Emerson College and during my doctoral studies at Arizona State University. Being an introvert really helps too. I spend a lot of time alone, which allows me to focus, perceive, digest, analyze, and reflect in a way that I believe most people caught up in the shallower aspects of society do not. Oh…and that should be e.g. up there in your question, not i.e. ☺

Lulu: Is there a particular passage from your book you’d like us to utilize? If so, please provide.

Me: Again, I think you should read my book and choose for yourself. If you can’t, then, well, I guess I’ve failed at writing a good book, haven’t I? Haven’t I paid Lulu’s marketing department substantial funds to craft this press release? I think the least you could do is read my book. I’m sure you can get a free copy from Lulu – or find a pirated PDF somewhere online. Just ask your nearest fifth grader. If not, I’ll mail you one.

I’m dying to see how the press release turns out. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, check out Winter South 02014 in paperback and ebook formats. I’m curious to know what you think.

]]>http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/preparing-for-launch-winter-south-02014/feed/0Hybrid Learning: Get Soakedhttp://benerlandson.net/2015/07/hybrid-learning-get-soaked/
http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/hybrid-learning-get-soaked/#respondThu, 09 Jul 2015 23:00:12 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=240On Sunday, July 5, we went for a hike in one of my favorite places on this planet (Stone Mountain State Park) on a section of what is becoming one of my favorite trails, the MST. One of the many reasons I love Stone Mountain is that it is such a photogenic rock: But on this day, we … Continue reading Hybrid Learning: Get Soaked

On Sunday, July 5, we went for a hike in one of my favorite places on this planet (Stone Mountain State Park) on a section of what is becoming one of my favorite trails, the MST. One of the many reasons I love Stone Mountain is that it is such a photogenic rock:

But on this day, we skirted around the rock and headed for the base of the escarpment, just past Widows Creek.

I’ve used Strava for quite some time to track my bicycling efforts, and recently I’ve discovered that it is also pretty good for tracking hikes. So, I thought I’d track my Sunday “stroll” up the escarpment. Results below, and here.

Strava Log of Stone Mtn MST hike

With my father, I had done the hike before in reverse, one way — from the Blue Ridge Parkway down to the Stone Mountain backpackers’ parking lot. On the 5th I wanted to go up and back, hoping to turn around at the ruins of an old mountain shack.

As usual, we made it up the (as shown above) STEEP grade at a quick pace — I definitely prefer climbing to descending. I had thought the shack was at a lower elevation, so I kept thinking throughout the hike that I had somehow missed it thanks to the heavy vegetation (my previous hike had been during winter).

Lo and behold, we finally made it to the shack. I checked the Strava app, and we were roughly 4.8 miles from where we started.

I had purposely avoided checking the app until now, partly because I wanted to ignore the digital and focus on the analog world around me. I know, however, that I had been pushing my own pace due to the fact that I had the tracker going.

Quickly, I put my phone back in my pocket.

I briefly considered finishing the relatively short distance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which would have given us a 12-mile day. Then, the drizzling started, and it was best to begin heading downhill as planned.

Not too long after beginning the return, the rain increased and the thunder rolled. Not too much lightning, but enough to pick up the pace in order to lose elevation as quickly as possible.

Long story short: We descended about twice as fast as I would have liked. Halfway back to the bottom, there was not a dry fiber of clothing on our bodies (rain gear would not have made a difference). I was drenched to the point that I began thinking about the fine print of my phone insurance plan.

And this, of course, brought the technological perspective of my experience to the forefront of my mind as I continued the descent. By now, I realize that the safest path for descent is directly in the middle of the channel of rainwater gushing down the middle of what is looking less like a trail and more like a waterslide. Everywhere else I step is a mudslide. At least under the rushing water there is usually relatively solid rock. Splish, splash, sploosh.

Being the designer I am — with a relatively constant third-person perspective of my own experiences — I can’t help but think about what this current path selection activity means in terms of a demonstrated performance of learning: knowledge, skills, abilities, the works. This gets me thinking about a few of my favorite things: learning, assessment, hybrid digital experiences.

I couldn’t wait to see my results on Strava. I wanted feedback, beautiful data visualizations, luscious maps, the whole nine yards (or ten miles, actually) — but I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose the activity due to the fact that I have no cell service out at Stone Mountain (it’s happened before).

Wait, that’s one of the other reasons why I love Stone Mountain so much – my phone doesn’t work out there!

Out here, emails don’t push vibrations into my pockets. I can actually enjoy my natural surroundings. I can enjoy slipping in the mud and appreciating the marginal core strength that I have that keeps me from blowing out a knee as I ski down a few feet of the descent on one soaked trail shoe.

So, really, where does unobtrusive assessment fit in to this obviously rich learning experience – this amazing opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge, skills, and abilities in so many ways? Beyond the Strava app, which we’ve already established is giving me mild test anxiety (in the form of intentional pace increase), is there any other quasi-unobtrusive measurement/assessment possible?

Silent black helicopters, maybe?

Considering the design of a hybrid learning digital (un)obtrusive assessment task delivery and measurement ecosystem supporting the types of learning experiences happening within and around two soaked hikers on a steep-ass trail in the remote corners of a state park: What are some of the xAPI statements that could be generated about this learning activity?

What, actually, were the learning events taking place? Off the top of my head, I can think of a few: I was exploring the use of the Strava app for tracking hikes, taking another person to see a location/structure I had seen before, and interpreting the remains of this structure to estimate its age and purpose.

What about my ability to adapt to extreme weather conditions when hiking (without major personal injury or destruction of property), or my attitudinal perseverance through tough conditions, or my awareness of potential risks (such as hypothermia) and preparedness to deal with onset of these potential outcomes? I made a concerted effort to stop and vocalize the fact that we needed to change into dry clothes once we got back to the car, and I also mentioned a technique of quizzing each other with simple math problems in order to keep tabs on our (lack of) cognitive function as in indicator of hypothermia onset.

Also, what about demonstrations of physical fitness, ecological awareness or sense of place, and knowledge of species and interspecific relationships? And let’s not forget the need to differentiate between individual and collaborative demonstrations of learning.

So, in conclusion, considering the actor, verb, object, result, context, attachment(s) properties of an xAPI statement, what might the xAPI statements for these learning activities look like? Also, who (or what) could create them, and when and where could they be stored?

]]>http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/hybrid-learning-get-soaked/feed/0Learning Systems Designhttp://benerlandson.net/2015/07/learning-systems-design/
http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/learning-systems-design/#respondWed, 01 Jul 2015 21:27:25 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=229As a way to get back into the swing of things with my blog, I thought I’d write a quick post on what I’ve been thinking about most lately as I’ve taken my new position as CTO of McKinsey Social Initiative: learning systems design. Of course, I’ve been thinking about learning systems design for many … Continue reading Learning Systems Design

As a way to get back into the swing of things with my blog, I thought I’d write a quick post on what I’ve been thinking about most lately as I’ve taken my new position as CTO of McKinsey Social Initiative: learning systems design.

Of course, I’ve been thinking about learning systems design for many years, but our goals for where we’d like to be with the Generation Initiative by 2020 have given me a new pragmatic perspective on the topic. I want to keep this post (and most future posts) brief, so let me quickly explain my own framework for learning systems design.

Approaching the design of systems to support learning, I consider four foundations: people, information, technology, and space. Why?

Learning Systems are more than just software tools. Learning Systems are purposed arrangements of relationships between people, information, technology, and spaces.

People: Who are the stakeholders associated with learning, teaching, assessment, content, and other processes necessary in the system we’re designing?

Information: What information needs to be delivered (and where, when, how) to efficiently and effectively support learning, teaching, and assessment in an unobtrusive, immersive manner appropriate for the current communication scenario?

Technology: What are the hardware, software, and networking solutions necessary for supporting learning, teaching, and assessment? How do we ensure that people always come before technology in our learning systems design?

Space: Where are learning, teaching, and assessment happening? How many different places? What qualifies as a space/place?

I’ll stop here. Consider this my first of what I hope will be a few teaser posts leading up to my “campfire chat” at xAPI Camp Amazon later this month.

]]>http://benerlandson.net/2015/07/learning-systems-design/feed/0#WinterSouth: Coyotes and Diagnosticshttp://benerlandson.net/2014/01/wintersouth-coyotes-and-diagnostics/
http://benerlandson.net/2014/01/wintersouth-coyotes-and-diagnostics/#respondSun, 19 Jan 2014 19:20:20 +0000http://benerlandson.net/?p=191When I drive solo along looooong stretches of remote roads, I see many things in my periphery and often forget them, especially when the musical selection that my in-car DJ (aka Yours Truly) has made is rather choice for the current terrain. I’ve been making a concerted effort to record my observations as they happen. … Continue reading #WinterSouth: Coyotes and Diagnostics

When I drive solo along looooong stretches of remote roads, I see many things in my periphery and often forget them, especially when the musical selection that my in-car DJ (aka Yours Truly) has made is rather choice for the current terrain. I’ve been making a concerted effort to record my observations as they happen. This means that I also often tack on additional thoughts about whatever I’ve been rolling over in my head as the original observation-inducing roadside stimulus has occurred.

This can make for some interesting juxtapositions….just listen (and beware of a few possibly-not-work-friendly “cuss words”):